Category Archives: Revision

My Favorite New Writing Resource

Posted on April 16, 2013 by

I love people who exude positivity, people who look at the world and see opportunities to grow and learn. That kind of glass-half-full outlook is contagious. Christi Krug, the founder of Wildfire Writing, brings that kind of positivity  to writers … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Community, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Bit of Sweetness (From Chapter Four)

Posted on March 18, 2013 by

I promised myself I’d get back into my novel this month. Forest Avenue Press will still be my primary focus, but I want to make room in my life for Henri, my protagonist now languishing in Chapter Four, draft two, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Revisions: One Year Later

Posted on November 29, 2012 by

Around this time last year, I went to my novel critique group and listened to my peers talk about the first draft of Lost Notes, my 19th century historical novel. This is what I wrote about the results of that process: … Continue reading →

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A Letter to My Protagonist

Posted on September 17, 2012 by

Dear Henri, If you belonged to someone else, you would be at the end of your journey, standing in a glass aviary in Rhode Island, surveying where you have been during drafts one and two. If you belonged to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

The Joys of Editing

Posted on September 10, 2012 by

I love to edit. Not just my work, but other people’s work. Ever since I can remember, friends have been coming to me with their reports, essays, resumes and the like. As a twenty-something, I became a newspaper editor–the perfect … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , | 26 Comments

Author Interview: Bestseller Selden Edwards on The Lost Prince, Using Historical Details in Fiction and Handling Rejections

Posted on August 16, 2012 by

I’m so excited to welcome Selden Edwards in celebration of today’s release of his second novel, The Lost Prince. The Little Book, Selden’s dazzling 2008 debut, changed my perception of historical fiction—and the direction of my work-in-progress—when I happened upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fiction, Revision, Seven Questions, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

It’s Rejection Week!

Posted on August 6, 2012 by

Next week might just be the biggest, most exciting week on my blog. Ever. On Monday, I’ll feature a conversation with Yuvi Zalkow, whose debut novel A Brilliant Novel in the Works will be released on Tuesday. You may know him as … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fiction, Revision, Seven Questions, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 28 Comments

‘My Words Don’t Seem Right’

Posted on June 25, 2012 by

As I was cleaning out old school papers at my parents’ house in May, I came across my eighth grade reading and writing journal. That spring we studied prejudice through reading about South Africa and slavery, plus Steinbeck’s Grapes of … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Plot, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , | 29 Comments

Before and After: A Study of Cutting Excess Language

Posted on April 2, 2012 by

In focusing on Chapter 2, I’ve worked on the sound of my omniscient narrator. It’s a loud voice, at home with lofty pronouncements and words like comeuppance. It evokes the 19th century without being too stuffy or old-fashioned. The problem is … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Studying Point of View Through Revising Chapter 2

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

I’ve been playing around with the second chapter of my historical novel for a few months now. Yes, I said months. I’m working with the same old plot points, but I’m trying to tell the story in different ways. Ultimately … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Revision, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments